Process
Download the student application
The application can be downloaded at
http://lascrucesacademy.org/uploads/Admissions/StudentApp09.pdf
You will need Adobe Reader (or any application which can open pdf files) to open the form.
Fill it out
The application form is interactive and can be filled out on your computer, or you can fill it out by hand as long as it is legible. It's a fairly intense application, so before you get intimidated you should know we're not expecting your child to excel in anywhere near every area we ask about. In fact, we don't even require that you answer all the questions, since you may not remember the answers to some of them. In any case, we're more than willing to talk you through the application if you've got questions.
Letters of recommendation
Each application should be followed by 1 to 3 confidential letters of recommendation. The form is available at
http://lascrucesacademy.org/uploads/Admissions/StudentApp09.pdf
It is not a requirement, but we recommend that at least one letter is written by your child's pediatrician, preschool teacher, or another professional whose job involves observing a large number of children.
The letters of recommendation should NOT be sent with the application. We want the recommender's honest opinion, even if it is not all flowers, marshmallows, and rainbows. A letter written in your presence is questionable at best and seriously misleading at worst. If we suspect that the letter is not confidential, we may ask for another letter and it may permanently damage our confidence in that person's recommendations.
Meeting us
It is much more frequent for parents and their children to have met us by this point than not, but if we haven't met you and your child by this point and we like your application, we will definitely ask you to come meet us. Even if we've already met you, we may ask you to come for a short interview with your child to resolve any questions we have.
Our decision
The admissions committee reviews complete applications (those where we have the application and letters of recommendation) approximately once every two weeks. We will consider all the applications at once and choose to accept, reject, or hold each one. We will notify you of the decision, whichever of the three it is. If we chose to hold your application, we may ask you for additional information to resolve lingering questions. Applications which were held in a previous review will be reconsidered every two weeks until we decide to either accept or reject them.
Deadlines
Las Cruces Academy uses rolling admissions. In other words, the admissions committee periodically reviews all the applications we have received, and votes on all of the applications. We will continue to accept applications at least until either all available spots are reserved (by a tuition installment) or until August 1st, whichever comes first. We haven't yet decided whether we will accept applications after August 1st if we have not filled all our spaces, since new students joining after the start of school is always disruptive.